Yarn package winder

ABSTRACT

Yarn winding apparatus including a yarn supply, rotatable yarn delivery means, means for conveying yarn from the supply to the delivery means, rotatable yarn collecting means including a supporting base and a central core, the yarn delivery means including a reference surface against which the core bears at the beginning of the winding cycle.

United States Patent Engels [451 June 6, 1972 [54] YARN PACKAGE WINDER[72] Inventor: Walter Engels, Tryon, NC.

[73] Assignee: Deering Milliken Research Corporation,

Spartanburg, SC.

[22] Filed: June 22, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 48,039

[52] US. Cl. ..28/2l, l9/l59 A, 242/83 [51 Int. Cl. ..B65h 54/00, B65h54/76 [58] FieldofSearch ..28/2l; 19/159R, 159A;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,316,609 5/1967 Russo..-......28/21 3,234,627 2/1966 Russo et a1 ..28/21 3,478,399 11/1969Wyatt et a1. ..28/2l 2,957,646 10/1960 Crum ..242/83 X 2,976,581 3/1961Van Deusen 19/159 3,369,280 2/ 1968 Shattuck et a1. ..28/21 2,842,8057/1958 Kaiser 19/159 R 3,561,694 2/1971 Schue'tz ..242/83 PrimaryExaminer-Robert R. Mackey AttorneyNorman C. Armitage and H. WilliamPetry [57] ABSTRACT Yarn winding apparatus including a yarn supply,rotatable yam delivery means, means for conveying yarn from the supplyto the delivery means, rotatable yarn collecting means including asupporting base and a central core, the yarn delivery means including areference surface against which the core bears at the beginning of thewinding cycle.

11 Claim,5DrawingFigures PATENTEDJUH 61912 SHEET 10F 4' la-1e S a m m Em fl/M VR 0 W K T L T A v A. w

PATENTEDJUH 6 1912 3,667, 092 j INVENTOR.

WALTER ENGELS ATTORNEY 63 I wa 44M P A TENTEHJUR 6 I972 SHEET 30F 4-.

' INVENTOR.

WALTER EN GELS ATTORNEY YARN PACKAGE WINDER This invention relates tonovel apparatus for the winding of yarn into package form and moreparticularly relates to apparatus for winding yarn in a pattern whichwill permit the yarn to contract without damage to the yarn.

It has been proposed to bulk yarn in package form instead of by theconventional method which involves skein treatment. To achieve a highdegree of bulking a yarn package generally will possess certaincharacteristics. For example, the yarn pattern should permit the yarn tocontract without tightening on itself. Also, the density of the packagewill be low to allow space for yarn movement during the bulking step. Inaddition, the pattern should permit easy and efficient winding of thepackage and backwinding after bulking at acceptable production rates. I

One winding-'pattem producing packages which can be bulked successfullyinvolves the looping of the yarn around a central core to provide aseries of ascending loops with a portion of each loop adjacent the coreand another portion of each loop adjacent the periphery of the package.In general, this is accomplished by locating a yam delivery means-offsetfrom the axis of the core and rotating the delivery means at a muchgreater rpm than that of the yarn collecting means.

The apparatus of the invention provides a simple and efiicient means forwinding yarn packages which can be bulked with a high degree ofuniformity along the length of the yarn. In addition, the apparatus ofthe invention pemiits the combination of a number of winding positionsinto a single structure. Moreover, the apparatus of the inventionprovides for simplified donning'of spindles and doffing of packages.Also,

the apparatus of the invention requires a minimum of operatorsupervision.

Other advantages of the apparatus of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation view of one form of windingapparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the drive mechanism ofthe apparatus of the invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, winding apparatus of the invention includes a yarnsupply package 12, guides 13 and 14 and feed rolls 15 and 16. Roll 16 isdriven by motor 30 (FIG. 5) and roll 15 is movable toward and away fromroll 16 by air cylinder 21. Adjacent the rolls is, guide 17 andaspirator 18. An air passage 19 in aspirator 18 joins shaft 20 (FIG. 2).At the lower end of shaft 20 is a whorl tube 22. Whorl shaft 20 ismounted .for rotation in support 24 with bearings 25 and 26. The whorltube and shaft are rotated by a belt 27 driving a pulley 23 which isaffixed to the upper portion of the shaft adjacent the aspirator. Belt27 is driven by a motor 32 and transmission 33 (FIG. 5 I

Shaft 20 extends from the whorl tube 22 and to this extension is affixeda plate 28. The delivery portion of whorl tube 22 is positioned toextend through a portion of plate 28 adjacent the periphery thereof.Independently joumalled below plate 28 is a reference base 29 withbearing 31 disposed therebetween. 5

A yarn package turntable 34 is located in a position spaced from thewhorl assembly with the axis of the turntable offset with respect to theaxis of the whorl assembly. The turntable is carried by a slotted hub 35with the turntable in engagement with the slots thereof and movablelongitudinally along the hub. To the lower portion of hub 35 is affixeda drive shaft 36 driven by a sprocket 37 which engages a chain 38. Chain38 is driven through a suitable chain and sprocket arrangement 40 bymotor 44 (FIG. 5). 1

Movement of turntable 34 along hub 35 is effected through a bracket 39having a crescent shaped extension 41 which bears against the turntable.Bracket 39 is affixed to a double acting cylinder 42 whichis movablealong piston rod 43. The movement of cylinder 42 is controlled with achain 45 which is connected to each end of the cylinder housing andaround sprockets 46 and 47 respectively disposed above and below thecylinder. Sprocket 46 which is connected to drive shaft 50 drives chain45. A portion of the chain 45 also engages a sprocket 48 of a caliperbrake 49. Adjacent the cylinder housing 42 are also positioned switches51 and 52 which limit the travel of cylinder 42 along rod 43.

Turntable 34 is mounted near one end of a rotatable arm 54. The armwhich is pivotable on a shaft 55 has adjacent its opposite end a secondturntable assembly with a similar arrangement of sleeve, shaft and drivesprockets. This construction provides for the positioning of oneturntable under the whorl tube for the formation of a yarn package andthe subsequent pivoting of the turntable to a position remote from thewhorl after the package is completed with the location of the secondturntable under the whorl for the formation of another yam package.Pivoting of the turntables is effected by a double acting pneumaticcylinder 56 through a chain 57 con nected to the piston rod 58 ofthecylinder. Chain 57 engages a sprocket 59 affixed to shaft 55. In amulti-position winder as shown in FIG. 3 dual turntable assemblies wouldbe located adjacent to each other and the chain 57 would pass around anidler sprocket 61 on an adjacent turntable assembly.

As shown in FIG. 3, the'center line of the spindle assembly is offsetfrom the center line of the whorl assembly. To accommodate differentsize packages, the center line of the spindle assembly may be displacedby the movement of rail 62 slidably supported on frame member 63.Movement of rail 62 is controlled by a rocker arm linkage 64 through arotatable knob 65.

The motors 30, 32 and 44 are connected to a common power source 67 whichgenerates power of varying frequency. Power source 67 is driven by amotor 68 through an infinitely variable mechanical drive 69. This drivemechanism permits the speeds of the feed roll 16, whorl tube 22 andturntable 34 to be increased or decreased proportional amountssimultaneously by a single adjustment of drive 69.

In the operation of the apparatus shown-in the drawings a package base71 having a spring core 72 is positioned on turntable 34. Yam 11 frompackage 12 is fed over guides 13 and 14 and between rolls I5 and 16.Since roll 16 is driven, the yarn is advanced past guide 17 intoaspirator 18. The yarn is forced through shaft 20 by air moving throughpassage I9 and shaft 20. The yarn moving through shaft 20 is deliveredfrom whorl tube 22. Whorl tube 22 is rotated by a .belt 27 in contactwith pulley 23.

The yarn from whorl 22 is looped around sprin g core 72 in a series ofascending loops with a portion of each loop adjacent the core andanother portion of each loop adjacent the periphery of the package base.Prior to the beginning of the winding cycle, turntable 34 is raised to aposition close to the whorl 22 with the spring core in contact with andcompressed against base 29. This contact causes base 29 which wasrotating with plate 28 to stop.

With the accumulation of yarn on the package, turntable 34 is moved awayfrom the whorl tube to maintain a substantially constant distancebetween the end of the whorl tube and the plane in which the yarn loopsare being deposited. This facilitates the maintenance of the identicalyarn loop pattern throughout the package. The turntable 34 is permittedto be lowered by the movement of cylinder 42 on rod 43. The speed atwhich cylinder 42 is lowered is controlled by sprocket 46 which isrotated on shaft 50 at a constant speed adjustable in steps forpredetermined lowering rates depending upon the size of the yarn. Sincebracket 39 afiixed to cylinder 42 supports turntable 34 through crescentextension 41, the lowering of the cylinder causes the turntable to belowered at corresponding speed. -When the package is completed, cylinder42 will contact limit switch 52 which through suitable controls (notshown) will stop the delivery of yarn from the whorl tube by moving roll15 away from roll 16 through actuation of cylinder 21.

To begin the formation of a new package, another package base 71 ispositioned on turntable 34 and cylinder 56 actuated by suitable controls(not shown) to advance chain 57 and thereby rotate arm 54 so thatturntable 34 moves from below whorl tube 22 and turntable 34' rotatesinto winding position under the whorl tube. The completed package isthen doffed from the turntable 34 and a new package base positioned onthe turntable for subsequent winding.

if a break should occur in the yarn being delivered through whorl tube22, caliper brake 49 is actuated by suitable controls (not shown). Thiscauses chain 45 to be stopped thereby stopping cylinder 42 and fixingthe position of the turntable 34 until the yarn delivery is resumed.

The above description and drawings show that the apparatus of thepresent invention provides a simple and efficient means for winding yarnpackages in a pattern which permits the packages to be bulked with ahigh degree of uniformity along the length of yarn. Furthermore, thedesign of the winding apparatus facilitates the combination of a numberof winding positions into a single integrated structure. In addition,the design simplifies the donning and dofiing of packages.

It will be apparent that variousmodifications and changes can be made inthe particular embodiments shown in the drawings and described hereinwithin the scope of the invention. For example, the means for feedingthe yarn to the whorl and the arrangement for raising and lowering theturntable may be of a different construction. Therefore, it is intendedthat the invention be limited only by the following claims.

That which is claimed is:

l. Yarn winding apparatus including a yarn supply, rotatable yarndelivery means, means for conveying yarn from said supply to saiddelivery means, rotatable yarn collecting means including a supportingbase and a compressible central core, means for advancing said yarncollecting means toward said yarn delivery means to a predeterminedspacing therefrom prior to the delivery of yarn to said yarn collectingmeans, and means for moving said yarn collecting means away from saidyarn delivery means as yarn is collected on said yarn collecting meansat a rate sufiicient to maintain the spacing between the yarn on thebase and said delivery means, said yarn delivery means including a platemember mounted above said core having a reference surface against whichthe top of said core bears at the beginning of the winding cycle tocompress said core and to allow said core to expand as said yarncollecting means is moved away from said yarn delivery means.

2. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the yarnconveying means includes a pair of rolls and means to move one of saidrolls toward and away from the other of said rolls.

3. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said apparatusincludes a pivot arm assembly, said yarn collecting means beingrotatably mounted on one end of said pivot ann assembly and a secondyarn collecting means being rotatably mounted on the other end of saidpivot arm assembly.

4. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said apparatusincludes a power generating source of varying frequency, said yarndelivery means, said yarn collecting means and said means for movingsaid yarn collecting means being connected to said source.

5. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said yarncollecting means includes a hub with a slot therein and a turntableslidably mounted on said hub with a portion thereof in said slot.

6. Yam winding apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said yarncollecting means includes a bracket supported under said turntable and amovable cylinder connected to said bracket.

7. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the central coreis a coil spring whichis in a compressed state when it bears a ainst thereference surface.

8. Yarn win mg apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the central coreof the yarn collecting means is located offset from the axis of the yarndelivery means.

9. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 8 wherein means areprovided for adjusting the offset distance between said core and saidyarn delivery means.

10. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 5 where the yarn deliverymeans includes a whorl tube.

11. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the yarndelivery means includes an aspirator associated with said whorl tube.

1. Yarn winding apparatus including a yarn supply, rotatable yarndelivery means, means for conveying yarn from said supply to saiddelivery means, rotatable yarn collecting means including a supportingbase and a compressible central core, means for advancing said yarncollecting means toward said yarn delivery means to a predeterminedspacing therefrom prior to the delivery of yarn to said yarn collectingmeans, and means for moving said yarn collecting means away from saidyarn delivery means as yarn is collected on said yarn collecting meansat a rate sufficient to maintain the spacing between the yarn on thebase and said delivery means, said yarn delivery means including a platemember mounted above said core having a reference surface against whichthe top of said core bears at the beginning of the winding cycle tocompress said core and to allow said core to expand as said yarncollecting means is moved away From said yarn delivery means.
 2. Yarnwinding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the yarn conveying meansincludes a pair of rolls and means to move one of said rolls toward andaway from the other of said rolls.
 3. Yarn winding apparatus accordingto claim 1 wherein said apparatus includes a pivot arm assembly, saidyarn collecting means being rotatably mounted on one end of said pivotarm assembly and a second yarn collecting means being rotatably mountedon the other end of said pivot arm assembly.
 4. Yarn winding apparatusaccording to claim 1 wherein said apparatus includes a power generatingsource of varying frequency, said yarn delivery means, said yarncollecting means and said means for moving said yarn collecting meansbeing connected to said source.
 5. Yarn winding apparatus according toclaim 1 wherein said yarn collecting means includes a hub with a slottherein and a turntable slidably mounted on said hub with a portionthereof in said slot.
 6. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 5wherein said yarn collecting means includes a bracket supported undersaid turntable and a movable cylinder connected to said bracket.
 7. Yarnwinding apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the central core is acoil spring which is in a compressed state when it bears against thereference surface.
 8. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 5wherein the central core of the yarn collecting means is located offsetfrom the axis of the yarn delivery means.
 9. Yarn winding apparatusaccording to claim 8 wherein means are provided for adjusting the offsetdistance between said core and said yarn delivery means.
 10. Yarnwinding apparatus according to claim 5 where the yarn delivery meansincludes a whorl tube.
 11. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 10wherein the yarn delivery means includes an aspirator associated withsaid whorl tube.